A method to grant a supplicant access to a data communication network and related devices is claimed. The supplicant is associated to a Medium Access Control address and is coupled to a port of an authenticator of the data communication network. The method includes: transmitting an authentication request by the authenticator to an authentication server being coupled thereto; making by the authentication server an authentication decision based upon predefined rules and conditions; and transmitting by the authentication server to the authenticator an authentication reply that comprises a result of the authentication decision.